Our religion hath had no surer humane foundation than the contempt of life.  Discourse of reason doth not only call and summon us unto it.  For why should we feare to lose a thing, which being lost, cannot be moaned? but also, since we are threatened by so many kinds of death, there is no more inconvenience to feare them all, than to endure one:  what matter is it when it commeth, since it is unavoidable?  Socrates answered one that told him, “The thirty tyrants have condemned thee to death.”  “And Nature them,” said he.  What fondnesse is it to carke and care so much, at that instant and passage from all exemption of paine and care?  As our birth brought us the birth of all things, so shall our death the end of all things.  Therefore is it as great follie to weepe, we shall not live a hundred yeeres hence, as to waile we lived not a hundred yeeres agoe.  “Death is the beginning of another life.”  So wept we, and so much did it cost us to enter into this life; and so did we spoile us of our ancient vaile in entring into it.  Nothing can be grievous that is but once.  Is it reason so long to fear a thing of so short time?  Long life or short life is made all one by death.  For long or short is not in things that are no more.  Aristotle saith, there are certaine little beasts alongst the river Hyspanis, that live but one day; she which dies at 8 o’clocke in the morning, dies in her youth, and she that dies at 5 in the afternoon, dies in her decrepitude, who of us doth not laugh, when we shall see this short moment of continuance to be had in consideration of good or ill fortune?  The most and the least is ours, if we compare it with eternitie, or equall it to the lasting of mountains, rivers, stars, and trees, or any other living creature, is not lesse ridiculous.  But nature compels us to it.  Depart (saith she) out of this world, even as you came into it.  The same way you came from death to life, returne without passion or amazement, from life to death:  your death is but a peece of the worlds order, and but a parcell of the worlds life.

   —­inter se mortales mutua vivunt,
     Et quasi cursores vitae lampada tradunt.
     [Footnote:  Lucret. ii. 74. 77.]

     Mortall men live by mutuall entercourse: 
     And yeeld their life-torch, as men in a course.

Shal I not change this goodly contexture of things for you?  It is the condition of your creation:  death is a part of yourselves:  you flie from yourselves.  The being you enjoy is equally shared betweene life and death.  The first day of your birth doth as wel addresse you to die, as to live.

     Prima quae vitam dedit, hora, carpsit.
     [Footnote:  Sen.  Her.  Sw. ckor.  Iii.]

     The first houre, that to men
     Gave life, strait, cropt it then.

     Nascentes morimur, finisque ab origine pendet: 
     [Footnote:  Manil.  At. l. iv]

     As we are borne we die; the end
     Doth of th’ originall depend.